The Black Screen of Death may be used as a form of censorship, but it is usually used for other reasons. It may be used to represent a character closing their eyes. Also, black may be replaced with white, though black is more likely for quick cuts whereas whiteouts tend to fade in. In games, it might also be used to avoid wasting space and programmers' time with sprites or model movements that would only be used once. This is often accompanied by the sound effects you would expect of the battle, or in the case of bladed weapons, the sound of a sword slicing through the air. Occasionally, this will be accompanied by some slice marks across the screen reminiscent of a Clean Cut.

This type of censorship might be used by some directors to increase the (implied) violence beyond what they're capable of portraying. Two people are fighting and the screen goes black. What's happening behind the black screen is subject to the imagination of the observer. While the director is imagining a stab to the stomach to kill the enemy, another observer might be thinking of a decapitation. Or maybe they're denying what is really happening and enjoying a nice tea break instead. It's all up to you.

Examples

In Episode 24 of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Shinji is contemplating whether or not he should kill his friend Kaworu, who turns out to be an Angel. Eventually, the screen turns black as we hear a loud squish, and then Kaworu's head dropping into a pool of LCL.

Comic Books

All Fall Down has a Black *Page* of Death, moments after Portia steps off the roof of her apartment building.

My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic issue #28 has a minotaur that has been the antagonist against the main pony characters by having his being chased down by a hydra. One panel is completely black, the following showing the ponies looking sick and aghast. Though a 2 page teaser at the end shows that the minotaur survived, if living in the stomach of a hydra is considered "surviving..."

Film

Used on several occasions in Cthulhu (2007), such as when the protagonist kills the Ancestor.

Done awkwardly in the Freedom Warrior Productions film The Meaning of "Choice", with the black screen fading in and out repeatedly to the sound of a heartbeat as the girl is being attacked by her ex-boyfriend. Part of this was because of their desire to enter the film into the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, which forbade depictions of "gratuitous" levels of blood, violence, and gore, and would have rejected the film if it depicted a realistic scene of stabbing and attempted murder of a pregnant woman. Another reason for it, besides Gory Discretion Shotto get past the censors, was due to the film's cheap budget. (Made for under $5,000.)

Used at the end of The Grey, when Ottway fights the alpha. Part of the scene that (should have) followed is still present in the trailer, as well as in a deleted scene. However, this was done for artistic reasons, since it adds weight to the ending.

On several occasions the movie Coherence suddenly cuts to black. It's being theorized that each time this happens, the story moves to another/parallel house with different versions of the characters.

The episode "You Are Cordially Invited" of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ends with O'Brien and Bashir charging at Worf and Dax, attacking them to conclude their wedding ceremony. The screen cuts to black rather than show O'Brien and Bashir getting schooled by a Klingon and his hot Trill wife, and the sound of clashing weapons is briefly heard.

The series finale of Skins series 4 cuts to black in the middle of Cook attacking Freddie's killer. Hopefully The Movie will resolve the cliffhanger.

Sherlock did it because at the time the writers were unsure if there was going to be a second series, so that the ending either closed the show or left viewers waiting for series 2 episode 1. Sherlock raises the gun, about to shoot a cluster of bombs that will kill him, James Moriarty, and John Watson... and then the screen goes black, and the credits roll.

Also, at the end of the previous episode, The Blind Banker, when Moriarty has General Shan killed.

Debatably used in The Sopranos, as Tony Soprano may have been killed just after a quick cut to the credits. Among the suspects: a character identified in the credits as "Members Only," plausibly, a Call Back to the episode of the same name.

This was used in Top Gear, during the escape from Alabama in the first American Special.

Not the same, but similar. Done in first person in the Battlefield 2modProject Reality, where being dead or critically wounded blacks out the player's vision.

Final Fantasy X does this when Auron confronts Isaaru after the latter attacks Yuna in the Via Purifico. Isaaru comes back just fine in the sequel, though.

In Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, this is used for Classic Sub-Zero's spine rip fatality (since the animation couldn't be used in the new engine) and Scorpion's dopplegangers-in-hell fatality.

Iji vs. Iosa, though it's done to make it obvious whether or not Iji or Ansaksie does it.

The "Frog VS Magus" ending in Chrono Trigger finishes with Frog and Magus readying for battle, then the screen goes dark as swords are heard clashing in the background while the credits roll. Then the screen fades in to show the victor standing on top of the castle: someone with a cape.

In three of the endings to Shadow the Hedgehog, Shadow raises his hand up and delivers a sharp chop to Eggman's skull just after a cut to black, implying to have killed him.

In Mother 3, during a scene when Lucas and his dog Boney meet Ionia, one of the Magypsies, in the Hot Springs, Ionia wants to teach Lucas how to use PSI by giving him a "test of endurance". Scene then fades to black before Ionia's words appear off-screen, telling Lucas not to struggle or scream (these words may imply rape or child sexual abuse). When the scene finally fades back in, Lucas is submerged and gets his head out of the water. When he does, he learns a few PK spells, including PK Love! (And all the while Ionia's clothes are lying near the ladder to the Hot Springs!)

It also happens during the final battle. After Claus is mortally wounded, the screen turns black. Only words appear off-screen, describing what happens in the scene. For when the screen returns to normal, the boy is quietly in the arms of his brother. Dead.

StarCraft: Brood War has one of these in the ending cinematic; General Gerard DuGalle, after reading out a letter to his wife and accepting that he will either return home in complete disgrace or be soon annihilated by Kerrigan's forces, takes out an antique pistol and puts it against his temple before the video cuts out... granted, a gunshot is heard.

Lollipop Chainsaw has two different cutscenes that appear after the credits, depending on whether you rescued all of the saveable classmates or not. If you didn't, you are treated to a cutscene of Juliet, her family, and Nick all coming home to celebrate her birthday, only to find that mom is a zombie. The screen blacks out as we hear a loud *CRUNCH*, implying that she killed them.

Happens in Half-Life 2's first chapter - the screen turns white as an unarmed Gordon Freeman is struck by buzz batons, and while he is stunned, Alyx Vance arrives and knocks all of the enemies in the room. She is the first thing you see when the screen fades from white.

Used as one of Valentine's attacks. She tosses her opponent up into the air, and then down behind a row of surgical curtains. The screen flashes black except for the outline of Valentine's eyes, then back to the curtains sprayed with blood, and the other character missing a large chunk of health.

A lot of old-school Disney games did this, usually the platformers. If the character dies, he/she either passes out, dies outright or is otherwise abandoned to a gruesome fate. Mickey Mania, Tarzan and especially Maui Mallard are prime examples.

As part of the fake CCG cards meme, a fake Magic: The Gathering card exists called Rule 34. It costs four black mana, has no art, and says "Everybody loses. No one wins." with flavor text along the lines of "All art submitted for this card was rejected."

Western Animation

Avatar: The Last Airbender uses the cliffhanger variant in the episode "Appa's Lost Days" partway through the fight between the Kyoshi Warriors and Azula's team.

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